Hasaranga Joins Elite T20I List, Becomes Second-fastest To 100 Wickets In Win Over Afghanistan

Hasaranga joins elite T20I list, becomes second-fastest to 100 wickets in win over Afghanistan (Image Source: IANS)

Wanindu Hasaranga: Sri Lankan spin sensation Wanindu Hasaranga on Monday became just the second Sri Lankan after Lasith Malinga to take 100 T20I wickets, achieving the feat during the second match of the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan. Hasaranga became the eleventh player overall to breach the 100-wicket barrier in T20Is and the second fastest to achieve the milestone.

Wanindu Hasaranga breached the 100-wicket barrier during the second T20I against Afghanistan in Dambulla that Sri Lanka won by 72 runs.

The leg-spinner, who is currently the captain of the T20I side, now has more wickets than any other bowler in men's T20Is since his debut in 2019. Malinga is the only other Sri Lankan bowler to take more than 100 T20I wickets. While Malinga achieved the milestone in his 76th T20I, Hasaranga did so in his 63rd. This makes him the second-fastest to 100 T20I wickets after Rashid Khan, who achieved the same in 53 matches in 2021.

On Monday, Hasaranga finished with figures of 2/19 in his four overs in Dambulla and now has 101 wickets in 63 T20Is at an average of 15.36 and an economy rate of 6.78.

While Hasaranga claimed 2-19, Angelo Mathews (2-9), Dinura Fernando (2-18) and Matheesha Pathirana (2-22) scalped a double each as Sri Lanka bowled out Afghanistan for 115 in 17 overs in the second T20I after posting a modest 167/6 in 20 overs the visitors won the toss and elected to field first.

Sadeera Samarawickrama hammered a 42-ball 51 while Angelo Mathews blasted 42 off 22 deliveries to prop up the Sri Lanka innings after they were reduced to 86/3 in the 10th over.

Sri Lanka eventually defeated Afghanistan by 72 runs in the second T20I to take a 2-0 lead in the three-match series.